After defecting from Cuba, Alvarez established residency in Haiti before signing with the Dodgers as an international free agent on June 15, 2016... signed by Dodgers scouts Ismael Cruz and Mike Toscar...Spent less than two months in the Dodgers organization and did not play in a professional game with them before being acquired by Houston in exchange for hard-throwing reliever Josh Fields...Fields posted a 2.61 ERA in three seasons with Los Angeles while Alvarez blossomed into one of the top prospects in baseball before debuting in 2019...The Astros scouts credited with the identification of Alvarez as an amateur include Charlie Gonzalez and Oz Ocampo...Shares the same clubhouse with fellow Cubans 1B Yuli Gurriel and IF Aledmys Díaz...grew up idolizing Gurriel, who was a star in the Cuban league during Alvarez’s childhood...the two first met in Haiti while both were establishing residency prior to a move to the United States...Along with Gurriel, Díaz, Rogelio Armenteros and Cionel Pérez, Alvarez was one of five Cubans to play for the 2019 Astros...that club became the first team to play five Cubans in the same season since the 1969 Reds used IF Mike de la Hoz, RHP Camilo Pascual, IF Tony Perez, RHP Pedro Ramos and IF Chico Ruiz...On Sept. 9, 2019, became the first Astro to hit a homer into the third deck at Minute Maid Park, a towering blast off A’s RHP Paul Blackburn...that shot landed in section 337, row 1, seat 18, which was commemorated with an orange seat in 2019...Enters his third Major League Spring Training...was a non-roster invitee in 2019...is currently signed to a one-year contract for the 2021 season.
2021
Played his first full season as an Astro and led the club in home runs (33) and RBI (104)...named a second-team All-MLB selection and was a Silver Slugger finalist at the DH position. Started a career-high 39 games in left field...batted .349 (51x146) with 15 HR with 36 RBI and a 1.161 OPS in 41 games as an outfielder...Made his first career OPENING DAY roster, going 1x3 with three RBI as the Astros DH... Reached 101 RBI on the season at 24 years and 87 days old...became the second-youngest player in Astros history to reach 100 RBI in a season, behind only César Cedeño, who reached the mark at 23 years, 216 days in 1974... Reached the 30-homer mark on Sept. 13 at TEX at 24 years and 78 days old, becoming the youngest Astros player to reach 30 homers in a season... In the POSTSEASON, he batted .315 (17x54) with 13 runs, four doubles, two triples, two home runs, nine RBI and a 1.023 OPS. Finished the season batting .277 (149x537) with a .877 OPS (.531 SLG / .346 OBP)... In the AL, ranked eighth in RBI (104), ninth in OPS (.877) and 10th in SLG (.531). Was named the 2021 ALCS MVP...hit .522 (12x23) with a homer and six RBI and a 1.408 OPS during the ALCS...became the fourth Cuban-born postseason MVP in MLB history, joining OF Randy Arozarena in the 2020 ALCS, RHP Orlando Hernández in the 1999 ALCS and RHP Liván Hernández in the 1997 NLCS... His .522 avg. in the series is the sixth-highest in a single postseason series in MLB history (min. 25 PA)... Went 4-for-4 in Game 6 of the ALCS, becoming the fifth Astros player with a four-hit game in a potential series-clinching game in postseason history, also Yuli Gurriel in Game 3 of the 2017 ALDS, Carlos Correa in Game 4 of the 2015 ALDS, Carlos Beltrán in Game 5 of the 2004 NLDS and Terry Puhl in Game 5 of the 1980 NLCS... Also had two triples in the postseason, becoming the only player in Astros franchise history to record multiple triples in a single postseason.
2020
Played in just two Major League games, going 2x8 with a homer and four RBI...Had his season delayed due to a positive COVID-19 test...began the year on the Injured List...Activated on Aug. 14 vs. SEA and homered in his first PA, a three-run shot into the Crawford Boxes...went back-to-back with Yuli Gurriel...Was placed on the Injured List on Aug. 18 with right knee discomfort...Underwent arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees on Aug. 26...a slight tear of the patellar tendon was repaired in his right knee, while his left knee received a routine cleanup...missed the remainder of the season.
2019
At the age of 21, debuted in the Majors in June and authored one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history en route to being named the BBWAA American League Rookie of the Year, the Sporting News AL Rookie of the Year and the MLBPA Players Choice Award for the AL Most Outstanding Rookie...also named to the Second- Team All-MLB squad...was one of the top hitters in the AL during his 87 games in the Majors...ranked among the top-10 AL hitters in multiple categories from the date of his MLB debut (June 9) through the end of the regular season: RBI (2nd), OBP (3rd, .412), SLG (3rd, .655), OPS (4th, 1.067), extra-base hits (5th), homers (T-6th), doubles (T-7th), batting average (9th)...established a Major League record for OPS by a rookie in a single season (min. 350PA, 1.067)...surpassed Shoeless Joe Jackson's record of 1.058 set in 1911...led all AL rookies in extra-base hits (53), OPS (1.067), OBP (.412) and SLG (.655) (min. 350PA)...set a franchise rookie record for home runs in a single season, topping Carlos Correa's record of 22 set during his 2015 rookie season...also set club rookie records for OPS, OBP and SLG (min. 350PA)...posted the third-best batting average by an Astros rookie (min. 350PA), behind Hunter Pence (.322 in 2007) and Greg Gross (.314 in 1974)...posted the second-most RBI by a rookie in club history, behind Jeff Bagwell's 82 RBI in 1991...was named the AL Rookie of the Month in June, July and August... became the first player in franchise history to win three consecutive Rookie of the Month awards, and the first MLB player to do so since Aaron Judge from April-June of 2017...set a Major League record for RBI in a player's first 45 career games with 51, surpassing Ted Williams' record of 47 set in 1939...also set a record for RBI within a player's first 30 games (35 RBI), surpassing Albert Pujols (34 in 2001)...his 27 homers are the most by an Astros player within his first 87 games...the previous record was held by George Springer (20 HR)...set Astros records for most homers within a player's first 12 games (7 HR), 11 games (6), 10 games (5), five games (4), four games (3) and two games (2)...posted 53 extra-base hits, tied for the third-most by a player over his first 87 games in MLB history with Jose Abreu, behind Ted Williams (54) and Joe DiMaggio (61)...his 1.067 OPS was the sixth-highest by a player 22 years old or younger in MLB's modern era (since 1900)...the only players to post a higher OPS: Ted Williams (1.287 in 1941 at 22), Bryce Harper (1.109 in 2015 at 22), Jimmie Foxx (1.088 in 1929 at 21), Joe DiMaggio (1.085 in 1937 at 22) and Mel Ott (1.084 in 1929 at 20)...batted .344 (32x93) with 13 doubles, six homers, 50 RBI and a 1.105 OPS (.427 OBP/.677 SLG) with runners in scoring position...ranked fourth in the AL in OPS and fifth in batting average with runners in scoring position...led all left-handed hitters in OPS vs. left-handed pitchers (1.038)...the only left-handed hitting rookie in MLB history to post a higher mark was David Justice in 1990 (1.099)...was selected to the Major League roster on June 9 before making his MLB debut vs. BAL that day in a start at DH...homered in his first Major League game off RHP Dylan Bundy, becoming the seventh player in franchise history to homer in his MLB debut (last, Derek Fisher on June 14, 2017 vs. TEX)...hit a 1-0 changeup to center field in what was his second plate appearance...at 21 years, 347 days old, became the youngest player in club history to make a start at DH...homered in his second-career game on June 11 vs. MIL, becoming the first player in Astros history to homer in each of his first two MLB games...became the 23rd player in MLB history to do this, most recently accomplished by Francisco Arcia for the Angels in July 2018...homered in his fourth MLB game, setting a franchise record for homers over a player's first four games (3)...also set a franchise record for walks over a player's first four MLB games (6)...homered and recorded three hits in his fifth MLB game, setting a franchise record for homers within a player's first five games (4)...became the first player in Astros history to score a run in each of his first five Major League games...became the youngest Astro to post consecutive three-hit games since Terry Puhl in 1978...his four homers tied the second-most home runs in MLB history over a player's first five games with Yasiel Puig (2013) and Mike Jacobs (2005), behind only Trevor Story's six homers in 2016...his eight runs scored over his first five MLB games tied the second-most in MLB history with Jay Bruce (2008), behind only Jim Gilliam's nine runs in his first five games in 1953...posted back-to-back three-hit games from June 14-15, becoming the youngest Astros player since Terry Puhl (May 12-13, 1978) to post consecutive three-hit games...became the first player in MLB history to post six homers and 14 RBI over his first 11 Major League games (since RBI first became an official stat in 1920)...was also the first to reach seven homers and 16 RBI over his first 12 games...tied a Major League record for homers over a player's first 12 games (7) with Trey Mancini (2016-17), Trevor Story (2016) and Dino Restelli (1941)...named the AL Rookie of the Month for June after leading AL rookies in RBI (21), OPS (1.139), OBP (.406) and SLG (.733) in 16 games in June...ranked second in homers (7) while hitting .317 during the month... notched his first-career multi-homer game on July 12 at TEX...became the youngest Astro with a multi-homer game since Carlos Correa on April 6, 2016 at NYY...posted 31 hits over his first 23 games, the second-most in club history through a player's first 23 games behind Brian Hunter (37 from 1994-95)...set a Major League record for RBI over a player's first 30 games (35 RBI), surpassing Albert Pujols' record of 34 set in his 2001 NL Rookie of the Year season... hit a 474-foot homer on July 20 vs. TEX, the longest homer by an Astro in the Statcast era (since 2015)...recorded a pinch-hit double in his first-career pinch-hit plate appearance on July 26 at STL...named the AL Rookie of the Month for July, his second-consecutive Rookie of the Month award...became the first rookie to win back-to-back Rookie of the Month awards since Juan Soto from June-July of 2018...became the first AL Rookie to do so since Aaron Judge in 2017 (April, May, June)...during the month, hit .333 with seven doubles, five homers, 15 RBI and a 1.045 OPS, leading all AL rookies in batting average, OBP, OPS, SLG and extra-base hits...homered on Aug. 6 vs. COL for his 28th career extra-base hit...the only players in MLB history with more extra-base hits within their first 42 games were Joe DiMaggio (30) and Ryan Braun (29)...became the first player in MLB history to record an extra-base hit in 24 of his first 42 games...set a Major League record for RBI in a player's first 45 career games with 51, surpassing Ted Williams' record of 47 set in 1939...hit three homers with seven RBI on Aug. 10 at BAL, marking the 14th three-homer game in club history (13th in the regular season) and the first since Carlos Lee's three-homer game on April 13, 2007 at PHI...became the youngest player in MLB history (2 years, 44 days old with three homers and seven RBI in a game, surpassing Pat Seerey (July 13, 1945 at 22 years, 118 days old)... became the seventh-youngest player in MLB history with a three-homer game...drew a career high four walks on Aug. 20 vs. DET...at 22 years, 54 days old became the second-youngest Astro to walk four times in a game, trailing only Joe Morgan (21 years, 3 days) on Sept. 22, 1964...per STATS Inc., became the youngest player to walk four times in a game since Barry Bonds (22 years, 37 days) on Aug. 30, 1986 at HOU...posted his fourth-career multihomer game on Aug. 27 vs. TB...joined Cody Bellinger (6g) as the only players in MLB history to record at least four multi-homer games over their first 60 games in the Majors...was named the AL Rookie of the Month for August, his third-straight monthly award...batted .309 (30x97) in 27 games in August while leading AL rookies in HR (9), RBI (26), SLG (.670), OBP (.425) and OPS (1.095)...his nine homers marked the second-most by an Astros rookie in a single month behind George Springer's 10 homers in May 2014...went 4x6 with three doubles, a run scored and six RBI on Sept. 8 vs. SEA, setting a new single-game career-high for hits...became the first player in Astros history with at least three doubles and six RBI in a single game...became the youngest player in MLB history with three doubles and six RBI in a single game (22 years, 73 days)...broke the record held by Jimmy O'Connell of the New York Giants on (22 years, 110 days on June 1, 1923)...was the 19th time in MLB history that a player posted three doubles and six RBI in a single game, and the first since Aaron Hicks did so on June 1, 2017 at TOR...hit two solo homers over the first 2.0 innings on Sept. 9 vs. OAK, setting a new single-season club record for home runs by a rookie (24), surpassing Carlos Correa's 2015 record of 22...posted a 28-game on-base streak from Aug. 22-Sept. 27...batted .241 (14x58) with one homer and three RBI in 18 postseason games...smacked three doubles over the first four games of the ALDS, marking the most double by an Astros player within his first four career postseason games in franchise history...became the third-youngest player in Astros history to start a postseason game (22 years 99 days) behind only Carlos Correa (21 in 2015) and Richard Hidalgo (22 years, 94 days in 1997)...also became the third-youngest player in MLB history to start a postseason game at DH, behind only Claudell Washington (21 in 1975) for Oakland and Jamie Quirk (21 in 1976) for Kansas City...went 3x3 with a two-run homer in Game 5 of the World Series, becoming the youngest Cuban-born player to homer in the World Series, surpassing Jose Canseco...also became the fourth-youngest AL player to homer in a World Series game behind Mickey Mantle, Jimmie Foxx and Tony Kubek...at 22 years, 117 days old, became the youngest player in Astros history record a hit in a World Series game...also became the 40th rookie in MLB history to homer in the World Series...began the season at Triple A Round Rock and hit .343 (73x213) with 50 runs scored, 16 doubles, 23 home runs, 71 RBI and a 1.184 OPS (.443 OBP/.742 SLG) in 56 games...was leading the minors in homers, RBI, extra-base hits (39) and total bases (158) prior to making his Major League debut...received Pacific Coast League Player of the Month honors and Astros Minor League Player of the Month recognition for April after hitting .347 with 20 runs, six doubles, 11 homers, 29 RBI and a 1.372 OPS (.443 OBP/.867 SLG) in 21 games for the Express...led the PCL in homers and slugging percentage during the month, while ranking tied for first in extra-base hits, second in RBI and second in OPS...posted a three-homer game on April 6 for Round Rock.
2018
: In 88 combined games between Triple A Fresno (45g) and Double A Corpus Christi (43g), hit .293 (98x335) with 21 doubles, 20 homers, 74 RBI and a .904 OPS (.369 OBP/.534 SLG)...was an MiLB.com Organization All-Star and was selected to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game for the second-straight season...went 1x3 with a walk in the Futures Game...received his first promotion to the Triple A level on July 6...batted .304 (7x23) with one homer and four RBI in seven games in the PCL playoffs...
